Draft mechanism



\ A. ALLEN \QRAFT MECHANISM Fild March 13,1922

March 6, 1928.

Patented Mar. 6, 1928 a UNITED sT r fs ANDREWS ALLEr or, ernivcon, ILLINOIS, I

PATENT or-Flee,

a e EC ANISM.

a Application filed March 113,1922. Serial No.'543,150.

My invention relates to draft mechanism for mine cars andhas for its particular object the provision of a draft means which automatically positions itself in coupling re: lation'with a co-op'erating draft member se-' cured to another car so that a coupler pin can easily be dropped into position to secure the draft members together, this result being accomplished because of thefiegribility of the mounting for the draftmechanism.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a draft means which is semi-automatic in its operationin that it requires the. attention of an operator only to drop the coupler pininto position after the coupling members are in proper engagement with eachother, which function is per: formed automatically by reason ofthe flexibility of themounting of the coupling memthe axis of the coupling by any suitable sort of [dumping mechanism, and thenreturned N w'ar dly or-downwardlyfuntil it is seated to their normal upright position while be ing coupled together in a train ofcars, the

coupling means being rotatably mounted at one end of each of the cars and said rotatable mounting being constructed so'thatthe'coupling member will return to a normal position andwill so remain when the cars are returned to level. Another and further object of'my invention is the provision of a mine'carecoupler one member of which will always be in proper coupling. position, that is, the couplerv head willproject forward in'a plane horizontal to the plane of the mine 'car, 'and"if the coupling shank becomesturned by the jostling of the mine car, it will automatically right itself because of the shape of the coupler shank and a counterweight, atthe rear end thereof.

These and further objects of my invention 'will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which i Figure l isfa planview' of my improved invent on in buffing position; r

in elevation and partially insection,'*of the device shown in Figure 1 in bufling-position; i

line's3-+3 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a"ver ticalisecti'onal' view on Figure 2 is a vertical side View, partially,

no i

Referring now specifically to the draw-r ings and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a mine car 10 is shown having a longitudinally extending draw bar secured to longitudinal sills 11' and v11 secured thereto in any approved manner, to which is secured, inlany approved manner,'afemale coupler head 1 2as by bolts 13, 13, a filler block 11 being provided betweenvth e sills 11 and 11 The member12 at its fdrWard endhas a flared recess 14 therein with an overhanging upper" portion 15 and a forwardly extending lower portion 16, andgwlthlaterally extending 1ips-17 and 18; The walls of the recess 14 converge until they meet at 19 to form a rounded seat for the male coupler head hereinafter described which is secured to anotherfmine car; The

male coupler head engages against either the side portions '17jor l8 of the coupler head V 12 if the head enters'the recess '14; at an angle, orif'the, mine cars'are'o'n unequal levelsor the couplers are at unequal heights,

the male vcoupler head strikes against either the upper or flower portions 15 'or'16of the coupler head 12' and is directed either upagainst the-seat 19 in: proper coupling relati'on', irrespectiveof ordinary curvatures and grades'of track." The head 12 has a vertical- 'Z-bars 23 and 24 which form the upper portionsofthe coupling housing'22 and which haveoutwardly turned flange" portions 25 and 26fwhich are bolted to the'bottom plate 27 of themine car and to the longitudinal sills 28 and 29 which correspond to the angles which at the end of the other car, 10 are dr'esignat'ed as 11 and 11 to which thefemale coupler head 12 "is attached. Se-

cured to coupler housing22 on its inner sides is a pairof'spaced U-bars30 and 31 and whichhavea coupler block 32 there-.

: between, the said coupler block 32 being held in position by angle lugs 34c and bolted to the sills 28 and 29. In this way the coupling block 32 with theentire male coupler mechanism can be easily removed or replaced by removing the bolts holding the angles 3% and 35 in place. A topplate' 36 is provided which is-secured to the 2- bars 28 and 2% in any approved manner and so as to thoroughly enclose the coupler mechanism and provide a solid and dustproof bottom for the car.- s

The coupler shank 29 extends rearwardly of the coupler housing 22 and through a hole 39- in the block 32, the said hole 39 being flared outwardly on each of "its sides 'to at low for vertical and lateral movement :of the couplershankv29 in the block'32,

, The hole 39 is somewhat elongated in a vertical direction has a flat portion &0 on the bottom thereof so to vtend to bring the-male; coupler member to a horizontal 7 position whenever it has become displaced through rotation, the coupler shank 29 being flattened on its lower side so as to be in normal position upon the flattened portion 40 in the coupler block The :coupler shank 29? has a head .14 on its outer end i which; is adapted to enter the recess letand lvided for them is guidedintoxproper coupling relation by the converging-walls of the female head as heretoforedescribed. The coupler block 32 has graduated vertical recesses 41, 42, a3, and 44in its frontandrear faces with a predetermined width of straight faces or ribs Q5 and 46 between same one ofsaid ribs beor formed upon each s1de"of,the coupler 111D block-32." The'width of'the straight faces iand' l6 is designed to give the springsa sullicient width of bearing face to resist vertical movement with corresponding lack -of resistance to theshorizontal inovee mentofthe coupler head, whenkthey male coupler head is moved in a. horizontal :plane, the springs willswing into the recesses pro- 454-.6"andas soon asflthe force is removed the springs will return the coupler shank back "to normal position. Around the coupler shank 29 and vbearing against the coupler blockl32 in buffing position of the "coupler shank 29 zand against-a shoulder 47 is e cupshaped spring container 48 with a coilaspring 4L9 therein which is proportioned ifor'taking care-of the bumping and push- .=ing of"cars.

7 'The container lSwill transimitflthe bufiing load directly-into the con- 32, when the-spring has received 1a predeterminedamount of compression and '.b:efore the spring is compressed solid and thus caused to set.

PMounted .upon the couplershank 29* on the sopposite side -.of block '32 is a spring container 50 having a spring 51 therein, whicih serves the same. purpose and operates in the same way as the container 48' on each side ,of the ribs and spring 49' coupler block. A counterweight 52 is provided mounted upon the coupler shank 29 at itsfreai ends into which the container 51 isseated with its lower portion'extended 'dov vnwardly and rearwardly to counterweight the coupler head lat, and to aid in righting the male coupler shank and hold it in a horizontal position. I

The rear end of the coupler shank on the opposite side of the l threaded and provided with two nuts 53 and 54-, by means of which the compression of the springs can be adjusted and maintained. i

The in ale coupler forged or castas apart of the coupler shank 29,"isshaped in accordance with the inner face of .theIfemale coupler so that it will ride into coupling position when the carsapproach'each other from any practical angle, either horizontallyv or vertically. The contour of thehead and the shape of the opening in member 12' is; such that the coupler head 14 will always ride into engagement with the female coupler so that the {P1131721 head 114s which s can be dropped into position." The hole "in i head 14 is of such size vand shape thatirit will take the pin 21 when "the'h'eadlt has come into final. position from 'anylpracti cable angle. WNhen coupled up cars within the trip are rotated around a longitudinal axis in some dumping-apparatus, 'in order to discharge.their'contents the male coupler normally rests onthe Ifiat portion o'f' the hole inthe coupling block'32. I In the "process of rotation the coupling sliank29 lifts slightly from its bearing in the coupler block 32-and in returningto normal posi-' tion 'this operation is reversed and the 'flat portion of the'couplei' shank will seat itself on the Hat portion ofthe coupling blockso that the .male'coupler will return to an ex- ,a'ctly llOIlZOHliill position and I stay there against ordinary displacementsuch as m ght result'froni jostling or 'jolting ofjthe car. In going around curvesor over inequalities of grade,the male'coupler willipivot either vertically .or horizontally in the coupler block 32and the tension of the springs will -bring:it back to ana'xial position',' both vertically and horizontally" V It will thus be understood that when the coupling operation is attempted with one ear standing on a curve andthe other car approaching on a straight track or reverse curves, or if either car is on a point where the grade suddenly changes, the male coupler will in every instance, engage the fe- I male coupler somewhere within its coupling range and will then be guided into a posi-. tion where it will only be necessary to dropthe pin inorder to complete the coupling.

This operation makes it necessary for the operator-only to extend his arm between the cars in a space clear of all obstruction and comparatively free from danger whether the cars are moving or standing, instead of'lifting a heavy coupling into place asinordinary practice which makes it necessary for the operator to throw his body more orless' 'between the cars with a consequent danger While I have described more or less pre' of being injured. or crushed by the rounded or full car width bumpers, such as are usually provided with the ordinary type, of coupling, and the space between the cars is absolutely clear except for the coupling members.

It would obviously be possible to lift or drop the pin by means of a properly con-.

structed series of' levers and chains extending to the outside of the-car in such a way that it would not even be necessary for the operator to put his hand between the cars in completingthe coupling operation.

cisely the details of construction, I do not I Wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without depart ing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim: V 1. Draft mechanism for mine cars comprising in combination a draw'bar having a shank portion, a coupler block through which the said shank extends, springs mounted upon'said sha-nk on each side of the couplerblock andradapted to receive normal pulling and buffing strains, cup

shaped members mounted upon the said shank within which the said springs are seated and adapted to transmit-pulling and buffing strains to said coupler block when the said springs are compressed and meansfor securing the said coupler block to a mine car. I i

2. Draft mechanism for mine cars comprising in combination a draw bar havinga coupler head at its forward end thereof and a shank extending rearwardly therefrom, a

coupler block having an opening therein through which the said shank extends,

springs mounted upon said couplershank on each side of the coupler block and means for retaining the springs in normally compressed relation, the. said coupler block having vertically extending ribs adjacent the;

coupler block opening forming a seat for the said springs at one of their sides.

3. Draft mechanism for mine cars com- 7 prising in combination a draw bar having a coupler head at its forward endthereof and a shank extending rearwardly therefrom,-a

"coupler block having an opening therein through which the said shank extends,

springs mounted upon saidcouple'r shank on each sideofthe coupler block and'means for retaining the springs in :normallycompressed relation,the said coupler block having vertically extending recesses on each side of the opening therein through-which the coupler shank extends whereby lateral move-j ment-of the couplershank is permitted.

1 4, Draft mechanism for mine cars. comprising inflcombination' a rotatably mounted draw bar having a coupler head at the forward end thereof and a rearwardly extending shank portion, a coupler block having an opening thereinflatt'ened at one of its 1 sides through vwhich'the said coupler shank extends, springs located upon the said couplerv shank on each side of the said coupler block, means at therear end of said coupler pression, the said shank having a flattened portion at the lower side thereof adapted to shank to place the said springs under com--- cooperate with the flattened portion of the I opening in the coupler block in the normal position ofthe coupler head, means'for securing the draft mechanism to a mine car,

and means secured to said coupler shank whereby the couplerhead is normally re-f tained in a horizontal position.

5. Draft mechanism for mine cars comprising in combination a rotatably mounted draw bar having a coupler head at the forward end thereof and a rea'rwar'dly extend,-

ing shank portion, a coupler block having an opening therein through which the said couplershank extends, springs located upon shank wherebythe coupler head is normally retained in a horizontal position, said means comprising a counterweight secured to the rear end of the coupler shank and held in non-rotatable position therewith.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this'10thday of March, 1922. v I I ANDREWS. ALLEN. 

